Category Archives: Reviews

If you’re into feel-good books with a pseudo-spiritualish but not overly challenging theme, you might really like The Five People You Meet in Heaven. If not, you might find the main character interesting enough to get you through the hour … Continue reading →

Nancy Bilyeau had me at “set in Tudor England” but my desire to read this series–The Crown, The Chalice, and The Tapestry–was cemented by the fact that Alison Weir herself gave the books a glowing review. That’s enough for me! … Continue reading →

The Little Bookstore of Big Stone Gap: A Memoir of Friendship, Community, and the Uncommon Pleasure of a Good Book would be an excellent title to read along with Parnassus on Wheels and The Haunted Bookshop, as it’s a light and … Continue reading →

Where there is no vision, the people perish. -Proverbs 29:18 You’ve probably been there. Sitting in a meeting for work, or a volunteer project, or some sort of committee, bracing yourself for the train wreck. Contradictory opinions fly. Some people … Continue reading →

I’ve never been one to limit bedtime books to actual bedtime. I like to read the kids bedtime books any time, because it is calming and reminds me that yes, bedtime IS coming. The pleasant cadence of Jeanne Blackmore’s … Continue reading →

At the summer camp I attended, we always celebrated Christmas in July. I don’t remember exactly what we did to mark the day, but it’s one of those fun and silly things that kids love about summer. And certainly it’s … Continue reading →

With this summer marking the Queen’s Jubilee and also the Olympics in London, it’s really an ideal time to make some memories with your friends or children with a fun and lovely English Tea. We recently had a great time … Continue reading →

A friend of mine from college started Learn Our History in partnership with former presidential candidate Mike Huckabee with a vision to “help kids realize that history is relevant” and to offer an un-biased view of history in a way … Continue reading →

My husband will attest to the fact that I’m sort of a Jillian Michaels groupie. But only because her workouts WORK. For my birthday, he got me the latest and greatest Jillian workout,Extreme Shed & Shred. It’s awesome. The workout … Continue reading →

“Life,” the political philosopher Hobbes wrote in 1651, “is nasty, brutish and short.” So it has that in common with the stories in Wells Tower’s book Everything Ravaged, Everything Burned. I really wanted to like this book, because a friend … Continue reading →

Welcome to A Spirited Mind

Hi, I'm Catherine Gillespie and A Spirited Mind is where I write about my pursuit of the literary life--what I'm reading and the lessons I'm learning as a result. Thanks for stopping by!
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